Insulation displacement terminals are widely used in the telecommunications industry for the interconnection of equipment and distribution lines. The terminals provide for a quick, mechanically secure and electrically sound connection without the use of solder, whereby large numbers of wires may be connected with a minimum of labor.
The typical prior art insulation displacement terminal consists of a metal cylinder which is "split" to provide a longitudinal seam or slot, with opposing sides of the cylinder forming a pair of jaws. As a wire is inserted into the slot laterally of its length the jaws slice through any insulation on the wire and crimpingly engage the conductor portion of the wire. More than one wire can be terminated between the jaws of the split cylinder provided that the wires are of the same gauge. However, if the wires are of different gauge, the larger diameter wire spreads the jaws of the terminal away from the smaller diameter wire resulting in a broken or intermittent connection. Thus, the typical prior art terminal cannot be used to terminate wires of different gauge.
In many applications, particularly newer ones, wires to be connected are of a uniform guage. Thus, the above-described terminal is well suited to the task. There are, however, many interconnection applications wherein the wire gauge is mixed, such that typical split cylinder terminals cannot be employed. Instead, wire wrap terminals which can accommodate a number of different gauges must be used. However, connecting wires via wire wrap terminals is less efficient than using insulation displacement terminals, making it a less desirable alternative. Accordingly, there is a need for a multiguage and multiwire insulation displacement terminal.